Hi, Reader!

December is upon us.

For most cyclists this means base training.

Perhaps you are already well on your way with general preparations. Or you plan to get started soon.

Before commencing base training you should consider whether or not to include strength training in your general preparation.

(And by "strength" I'm not referring to low cadence training, which in most cases doesn't meet the true definition of strength training)

I'm talking about resistance training. That is weight lifting (or body weight exercises).

The benefits of resistance training on cycling performance are thoroughly documented. I've previously written a looong post on this topic (with a long list of references).

There is little doubt that lifting weights in base training contributes towards enhanced performance on the bike - both across shorter anaerobic efforts, but also for aerobic work. Possibly through improved VO2 consumption at lower intensities (e.g. achieving a greater percentage of your VO2 max at your anaerobic threshold).

If strength training is so effective the answer should be simple, no?

In an ideal world, with 24 hours a day dedicated to training and recovery, 99% of cyclists would probably benefit from strength training.

However, amateur cyclists don't have the luxury of approaching their recovery like a full-time job.

Therefore, be aware of the following:

• strength training requires time for the workout itself (separate strength session, getting to and from the gym)
• strength training requires considerable recovery (as much, if not more than most intervals)
• strength training during base training often requires amendments/scaling down cycling training (personal observation)
• strength training provides the greates results when maintained the year around (every 7-10th day)

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The real question is whether YOU will become a better cyclist from implementing strength training. Here are a few pointers to help with your decision making:

How often do you work out? If the answer is 4 days a week or less, then 2 weekly strength sessions will cut into your cycling volume considerably (Answer: NO). Can you tolerate more than 4 workouts per week? (Answer: possibly, YES)

Can you see yourself doing 1 strength workout every 1.5 week year around? If not, any effect achieved from you strength training will typically decay within a month or two when strength work stops (Answer: NO). If yes (Answer: YES). PS! From experience, it's a lot easier to cope with the 1 maintenance session every 7-10 days compared to two weekly strength sessions per week (typically used during build phase).

Have you maximised your realistically achievable training volume and optimise other details and yet you've stagnated? If so, strength training could be a natural next step to achieve a higher level of performance.

Do repetitive strain injuries hold you back? Then you should most definitely consider prioritising strength work (well documented therapeutic and preventative effect on musculoskeletal injuries).

Are you 50 or older? Then you should seriously consider establishing a routine with regular strength training to counter the age related sarcopenia (accelerated loss of muscle) that we all experience during the second half of life. Endurance training has many benefits towards your health, but it doesn't come close to what strength training does in countering age related loss of muscle mass.

Would you like to try strength training, but don't have access to a gym/weights and/or time to cope with the recovery required after lifting weights? Then you may want to consider strength work with bodyweight exercises. This too is well documented to increase strength (and to a lesser degree muscle mass). Here, it's necessary to do enough repetitions to experience near fatigue. From experience, the recovery cost from this style of strength work is somewhat less than lifting heavy weights.

Just some thoughts on the matter that may serve to inspire your base training period.

Happy upcoming holidays,
Martin

PS! If you're on a lookout for a simple and efficient training plan for the next 3 months...I've just uploaded 8 new base training plans. They're all Zwift & Trainingpeaks compatible (also come in Excel/PDF). All plans come with or without strength training.

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